Control mechanism



Nov. 1, 1960 E. G. GOETSCH CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Dec. 16 1957 INVENTOR.

BY fl/ J 1% y @W mml ATTORNEYS United States Patent i CONTROL MECHANISM Earl G. Goetsch, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Holley Carburetor Company, Van Dyke, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 16, 1957, Ser. No. 702,901

3 Claims. (Cl. 121-38) The present invention relates to control mechanism and is specifically concerned with a combined valve and valve seat structure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide, in control mechanism, a combination valve and valve seat device carried by a single element of the device and adapted for insertion as a unit into the device so as to permit accurate cooperating relationship to be built into the valve and valve seat combination before insertion into the control mechanism.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pressure responsive valving combination for insertion as a unit into a control mechanism comprising a casing, a valve seat fixedly secured to the exterior of said casing and adapted to be inserted in sealed relation in an opening in a wall of a chamber, pressure responsive motive means within said casing, and a movable valve member mounted on said casing and operatively connected to said motive means.

Still more specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device as described in the preceding paragraph in which the motive means includes a flexible bellows.

Still more specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device as described in the preceding paragraphs in which the valve member is carried by a lever pivoted to said casing for movement toward and away from said valve seat.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure l is a sectional view of the control mechanism taken sebstantially through the center of the assembly.

Figure 2 is a partial section of the assembly taken substantially on the irregular line 22, Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the assembly taken substantially on the line 33, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the assembly taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2.

In the past a difficult problem has been presented in many cases in the assembly of valving mechanism within the interior of an internal assembly. In the past the valve seat and valve member have ordinarily been separately mounted and in order to insure true and accurate closing of the valve and to insure accuracy of control in intermediate positions, it has often been necessary to make adjustments between the valve and valve seat, such for example as by shimming the valve or the like. The difficulty has been so great that in many cases less than the desired accuracy in cooperating relationship between the valve seat and valve has been accepted.

In accordance with the present invention an assembly is produced comprising the valve and valve seat which can be properly adjusted and brought into exactly predetermined relationship prior to assembly as a unit into a control device. Assembly of the unit involves locating 2,958,309 Patented Nov. 1, 1960 the valve seat in position to close (with the cooperation of the valve member) an opening in a pressure chamber through which flow of fluid is to be controlled.

The present invention is capable of many applications but is here illustrated in conjunction with an engine control device used to measure the air input as weighed (balanced) against the air density, and then to use this in such a way as to change the orifice of the fuel inlet to the engine.

Referring now to the drawings, the fuel regulating control comprises an outer housing 10 containing an evacuated bellows 14 connected in series to a second bellows 16 the interior of which is connected by passage 17 to means for supplying combustion air to an engine such for example as an air compressor. The connection between the bellows 14 and 16 comprises a rigid member 18 having threaded connection to plugs carried by the movable walls of the bellows 14 and 16. The bellows assembly is enclosed in a casing 20 which is rigid and serves as a mounting means for a control valve assembly including a valve seat and valve member as will subsequently be described. The casing 20 has one end 21 fixedly secured to said housing.

The housing 10 is shaped to provide a cavity within which is received a cylinder 22 within which islongitudinally movable a slave piston 23 to which is connected a control rod 24. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the control rod 24 is connected to suitable engine control means such for example as means for regulating an orifice for supplying fuel to the engine. The piston 23 is biased downwardly as seen in Figure 1 by springs 26 and 28 acting in line with each other. The spring 26 is mounted on an adjustable seat 29 by means of which the combined effectiveness of springs 26 and 28 may be readily adjusted from the exterior of the housing 10.

The piston 23 is, as illustrated, of generally tubular construction but includes a transverse web 30 which together with the cylinder 22 and the adjacent portion of the wall of the housing 10 defines a chamber 32. A source of high pressure fluid such for example as an oil pump, is connected through a passage 34 provided with a calibrated restriction 36 to the chamber 32. The chamber 32 is also provided with an outlet passage 39 which as illustrated in Figure 2 leads to a portion of the housing 10 indicated at 40 in this figure. The housing 10 is provided with a port 42 for connection to a low pressure return line to lead fluid back to the external source which feeds the inlet passage 34.

Escape of fluid from the chamber 32 is through the passage 38 in which is located the valve seat 44 having a passage 46 extending therethrough which is adapted to be closed by a movable valve member 48. It should be observed that the passage 38 is continuous with the outlet passage 39 as shown in Figure 4.

The valve seat 44 is carried by a rigid arm 50 extending from the casing 20. The movable valve member 48 is carried by an arm or lever 52 pivoted to the casing 20 on a pivot mounting 54. The bellows connector 18 is provided with a pin 56 connected to the valve mounting arm 52 so that movement of the bellows 14 and 16 results in movement of the valve supporting arm 52 about the axis of its pivot mounting 54.

Prior to the present invention, the valve seat 44 and the bellows casing 20 were made as two separate pieces for separate assembly into the housing 10. The valve seat 44 was pressed into an enlargement at the end of the passage 38 and the bellows assembly was thereafter fitted into place. It can readily be seen that when these parts were thus separately assembled, a difficult problem of alignment arose between the lever 52 and the valve seat 44. The contacting surfaces of the valve and valve seat must at the time of contact be accurately parallel. In practice, it was found that one or the other of the valve seat or the casing 20 always had to be shimmed in order to obtain the required alignment. In accordance with thepresent invention the valve seatis fixedly mounted on the same casing 20 .to which the valve lever 52 is pivoted and accordingly, these parts may be accurately adjusted prior to insertion into the assembly and the subsequent assembly operation will not disturb the accuracy of alignment.

The drawing and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved control mechanism in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A control device comprising a housing having a control passage leading to its interior, said housing having therein a pressure chamber including a movable wall and inlet and outlet passages communicating with said chamber, one of said last mentioned passages comprising an enlarged opening accessible at the interior of said housing, a subassernbly adapted for insertion as a unit in said housing comprising a rigid support body, pressure responsive motive means carried by said support body and connested within said housing to said control passage, a valve seat fixedly carried by said support body and sealed within said enlarged opening, a valve member movably carried by said support body, means on said support body guiding said valve member relative to said valve seat, and actuating means carried by said support body connecting said valve member and said pressure responsive motive means.

2. A control device comprising a housing having a control passage leading to its interior, said housing having therein a pressure chamber including a movable wall and inlet and outlet passages communicating with said chamber, one of said last mentioned passages comprising an enlarged opening accessible at the interior of said housing, a su'bassembly adapted for insertion as a unit in said housing comprising a rigid support body, pressure responsive motive means carried by said support body and connected within said housing to said control passage, a valve seat fixedly carried by said support body and sealed within said enlarged opening, a lever pivoted to said support body and connected to said pressure responsive motive means, and a valve member carried by said lever and guided thereby for movement relative to said valve seat.

3. A fuel regulating control device utilizing a housing having a control pass-age leading to its interior, said housing having a pressure chamber including a movable wall and inlet and outlet passages communicating with said chamber, said outlet passage comprising an enlarged opening accessible at the interior of said housing, the improvement comprising a sub-assembly adapted for insertion as a unit into said housing comprising a rigid support body, pressure responsive motive means carried by the interior of said support body and connected within said housing to said control passage, rigid arm mean fixed to the exterior of said support body, a valve seat fixedly carried by said rigid arm means and sealed within said enlarged opening, a lever pivoted to the exterior of said support body and connected to said pressure responsive motive means, and .a valve member carried by said lever and guided thereby for movement relative to said valve seat.

. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,276,505 Moore Mar. 17, 1942 2,322,764 Mallory June 29, 1943 2,440,566 Armstrong Apr. 27, 1948 2,669,071 St. Clair Feb. 16, 1954 2,696,809 Murasgew Dec. 14, 1954 2,729,223 Rosenberger Jan. 3, 1956 2,806,519 Bosford Sept. 17, 1957 2,829,873 Kupka Apr. 8, 1958 

